Golf practising apparatus



4 Sheets-Sheet l W. C. JNES ET AL GOLF PRACTISING APPARATUS Filed MaIOh 7, 1951 QW. M,

Nov. 29, 1932.

'NOVI' 29, W, C; JONES ET AL i GOLF PRACTISING APPARATUS Filed March 7, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 NOV- 29, 1932- w, c. JoNEs ET AL- GOLF PRCTISNG APPARATUS Filed March. 7. 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 NY A NOV- 29, 1932' w. c. JONES ET AL GOLF PRACTISING APPARATUS Filed March?. 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 -lull-ll.

Y Arm/e frs Patented Nov. 29, 1932 Umrsnsmss PATENT OFI-Ice WILLIS c. .Tones Ann Joran" Pim/1;. orl sYnAcUsn, NEW rouen, nssrolvons or ouinf '111mm To vvnom) s. rIERo-E, om AUBURN, NEW YORK GOLF PRAC'EISING APPARATUS Application led March 7, 1931. Serial No.V 520,863.

' This invention relates to agolf practis-A ing apparatus in which a golf ball is anchored to a suitable support for limited movement. to and from a normal position of rest, and is adapted to be driven from its normal position' of rest and with any degree of force com-monly employed in open golf courses by 'means of any one of the usual or special golf 'clubs for the purpose of acquiring experience in thel proper stance and swing of" the clubifor various plays commonly practised on open courses. u "l The main Vobject is tov provide asimple, compact' and efficient apparatus ofthis character' which is portable and may beinstalled and used within a relatively small floor or ground space as, for example, in relatively small rooms 'of homes and other buildings, or upon decks of water craft and analogous. places' where space is afforded suiiicient for the stance of' the player'an-d swing of the clubs.

Anotherohject is to provide means, brought intoaction by the operation of the ball or' its: support from its normal position, for.' indicating in yardage, or otherwise, the force of drive of' the ball 'from its normal position.

Other objects uses relating` to the speciiic parts of the apparatuswill be brought:

, out in the following description.

Inthe drawings:-

Figure 1 is a top plan-oiV a golf practise' apparatus embodying the various vfeatures of' the invention, in which a. rotary 1nd1cator1s adapted to beoperated by the' movement of the ball-supporting means from its normal position, theI base of the apparatus being provided with platforms at both endsl for the accommodation of right hand and' left hand drivers.

Figures 2', 'l and 4 are enlarged transverse vertical sectional' views', partly broken away, taken respectively in the planes oli-nes 2`-2, 3-3 and L11-4, Figure l, the various parts bein'gsho-wn in their normal ositiions ofrest'.`

Figure 5 is an enlarged etail sectional View Figure 8 isv ahorizontal sectional view` on a reduced scale taken in the plane of line 88', Fi ure 4, looking downwardly.

igure 9 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken in the plane of line 9-9, Figure 8. a v

Figure lo is an enlarged detail sectional view talren in the plane of line itl-10,' Figure 8.

Figure 1l is' an enlarged dentaiflsectiona'l view taken in the plane of' line ll-l, Figure 9,- the rock-shaft being locked.

Figure l2 is an enlargedhorizontal sec'- tional view,ypart`ly in top plan, of a modified form of indicator mechanism and portions of its driving means.

Figure 13 isy an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken in the plane of line 12S- 13, Figure l2".

Figure 1142 is an' enlarged detail sectional view taken in the plane of line 14T-14,l Figure l2. n y

As' shown Figures I to ll inclusive, this golf practising apparatus comprises an ifnverted Vbox-like supporting frame or' housing 1|- preferably of rectan ular' form and' havin the lower' edges of its" four corners provided with feet adaptedv to rest y upon a floor' or other substantial horizontal support, said frame or housing, with the remaining parts' of the apparatus therein, being4 plortalo-le for transportation from place to p race his frame or housing is provided withV a substantially' horizontal top wall Q#- a distance. above the lower edge thereof corre spending tothe height offanY ordinary step of a staircase to permit the player to easilystep from the floor-support to said platform which is preferably rectangular and of sufficient length and width tok accommodate a player at either sideV of the transverse center' thereof as may be necessary for right hand and left hand drivers, thereby forming two platforms 2fof similara'reaf. v

The platform 2f is provided withra transverse elongated opening -3- substantially midway between the. ends thereof and preferably near4 its' front edge for receving' and permitting the operation of' la ball-supporting anchorage, presently described.

A mat -4- of relatively small area is adhesively or otherwise secured to the upper surfaceof the platform -2- to extend from the rear edge of the platform to a point in proximity to the rear end of the opening 3and between the platforms -2-', as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The remaining portions lof the upper surface of the platform -2--A are coveredl with a felt or equivalent facing -5- in imitation of a grass plot, the pad -4- being extended upwardly slightly above the level of the felt facing -5- in imitation of a-thicker grass plot or section directly at the rear ofthenormal position of the ball, asshown more clearly in Figures 2 and 9. i

A resilient golf ball --6- is mounted upon one end of a suitable anchoring device consisting, in this instance, of a rocker army-7ehaving its other end secured to a rock shaft m8v- Which is ournaled in suitable uprights -9- of a supporting frame 10- within the housing 1- to rock about a horizonta axis lengthwise of the platform -2.-. n i

That is, the rock shaft -8-- is j ournaled in the uprights +9-, in a plane some distance belowthe platform -2- within the housing -1- and is provided with theradially extending rock arm -7- carrying at its free end the ball 6- which, together with the rock arm, are movable about the axis of the shaft -8-- within the openingk ,-3- inthe platform 2- to and from a normal position of rest.

The rock arm ,-7- normally ext-ends up- Wardly from the shaft -S-through the opening and above the platform -2- for supporting the ball `-6- slightly above the upper surface of the members -4- and -5` so as to normally incline rearwardly from a vertical postion against an adjustable stop -llconsisting, `in this instance, of a screwrengaged in van extension 12" of the upright -`9-, as shown in Figure 2, for limiting therearward movement of the rock arm -7 and permitting itsl free forward movement fromthe limiting stop when operated forwardly by a golf club orvequivalent device from its normal position.v

` As previously intimated the anchored'ball l -6- is adapted to be driven forwardly with varying degrees yof force, commonly used in open golf links or ranges, fro-m its upright normal position of rest, shown by full lines in Figure 2, to approximately the position shown by dotted lines in the same figure, or

through an varc of ninety degrees, more or less.

' This operation affords practical experience in obtaining the proper stance of the operator and driving of the ball and constitutes one of the essential features of the -inVention, but it is desirable to providesome means for indicating therelative vforces of thefdrive of the ball at each play in linear measurement such, for example, as yardage commonly used in open course golf-playing for indicating the distance to which the ball has been driven.

Dri/ving force indicating means For this latter purpose a plunger -13- is movable vertically in a guide bracket -14- onv theframe -'l-, and has its upper end normally disposed in a plane slightly above the horizontal plane ofthe axis of the shaft -8- and in the path of movement of the ball -6- so that when the ball is driven forwardly and downwardly from its normal position about the Aaxis of the shaft -8-, it will engage and depress the plunger -13- against the action of 'a spring -15+ which tends to urge the plunger upwardly.

Theflower end of the plunger is provided with a limiting stop or nut -16- adapted toengage the lower face of the guide bracket -14` for limiting the upward movement of the plunger by the spring -l5-, as shown more clearly iny Figure 5.

The Aspring 15- is secured at its lower end tothe frame -f-lO- by means of a screw -l7-, and has its upper end secured to a radial pin -18- projecting forwardly from t-he front face of the plunger 13- through a. vertical guide slot -19- in the bracket 14-, as shown more clearly in Figures 5 and 7. u

A horizontal rotary shaft -20 is journaled in. suitable bearings on the frame -10- between the plunger -13- and front side of the machine to extend transversely of the frame, preferably in a plane below the upper face of said plunger when the latter is its uppermost position.

A circular drum or disk -21-e is secured to the shaft to rotate therewith in the plane of movement of the plunger e-13- and is provided with a plurality of, in this instance two, diametrically opposite radial shoulders 22- projecting from the periphery thereof, one of said shoulders nearest the plunger being disposedin the path of a pawl -23- whch is p ivoted at -23- to the upper end of theplunger and is free to swing downwardly and inwardly toward the axis of they plunger,'but is held against outward and upward swinging movement from a normal position by engagement with the top wall of a slot in the plunger, as shown more clearly in Figure 2, said. pawl being provided with a weighted member -24- for returning it to its normal position.

.It is now evident that when the ball is driven forwardly and downwardly with any degree of force, it will engage and depress the plunger 13 against the laction of its retracting spring -15-, thereby causing the pawl -23- to engage the adjacent shoulder -22- and rotate the disk 21- and its supporting shaft .-20-,under which conditions the pawl -28- will be carried downwardly beyond and out of the path of movement of the shoulder -22-, thus permitting free rotation of the disk 4-21 and its shaft A- any number of turns under its own momentum according to the force of impact of the ball upon the upper end of the plunger.

Suitable means is provided for locking the plunger -1.3- in its eXtreme down position to which it has been driven by the impact ofthe ball therewith and for this purpose an upright lever' 2 is pivoted intermediate its ends at 252- to a post 2(3* on one side of the bracket 14H of the frame *'10- and has its lower end normally springpressed outwardly by means of a leaf spring -27--, the upper end of said lever being provided with a pivoted pin `-28- guided in an opening -28- in the adjacent side of the bracket -l4- and adapted to enter a socket -29- in the adjacent side of the plunger 13- when the latter is depressed bythe pawl to the limitof its downward movement. See Figures and 7.

That is, when the plunger -lis driven downwardly by the impact of the ball therewith, the lever ,will be operated by the spring 27- to force the locking pin 28u into the registering socket -29- in said plunger to hold the latter against upward return movement, and thus permit free rotation of the disk or drum -21-d and `its shaft -2'0-- until the lever -25 is tripped, in a manner presently described, but after the drum 21- has ceased its rotation under its own momentum. l

Suitable means is also provided for locking the ball -6- and its supporting arm -7- in its extreme down position, shown by dotted lines in Figures 2 and 9, to which it has been driven by the player, and for this purpose the shaft -8- is pro-vided with a radial peripheral socket -30- adapted to receive a locking pawl -31 which is guidi ed in a supporting member -32- on the frame -10- and is normally urged toward the periphery of the shaft by a coil spring -83, as shown more clearly in Figures 4, 9 and 11.

It is now clear vthat when the ball 6iand plunger 1S- have been driven "downwardly and locked in their down positions in a Vmannerv described, the dislr or drum 2land shaft +20*- will have been set in motion to rotate `under their own momentum a number of turns corresponding to the force of drive.

The platform -'2 is provided with a sight-opening -21- registering with the upper central portion of the periphery of with a worm gear -35- which is loosely mounted upon a shaft S6- A clutch -37- is splined upon the shaft 36- to rotate therewith and is operable axially into and out of engagement with the gear 35- by means of a shift-ing lever Y' -38- so that when the clutch is engaged,

rotary motion will be transmitted from the shaft EA- to the shaft -36-- (See Figs.

8, 6, 8 and 9.)

This shaft -36- is journaled in suitable bearings -39- in the frame -10- and front wall of the housing 1 and serves to receive and support an index wheel lO- rotatable therewith and provided upon its periphery with a scale -lllrepresenting gradually increasing yardage from zero to three hundred, but obviously the graduations may represent other units, if desired.

The lever 88- is operated by means of a spring -38"-- to normally hold the clutch -37 in engagement with the gear n35- but may be tripped from its holding position at will by means of a cam rod -42- which is guided in an openingin the central front portion of the platform '-2-, and is provided at its upper end with a pedal --l2- by which it may be depressed by the operator into engagement with the `upper end of the lever -38- against the action of a retracting spring -Zl8 for releasing the clutch -37. (See Figs. l, 3, 8 and 9.)

When the clutch -374- is released in the manner just described, the indicator wheel 40- will be restored to its starting position by a weighted cord 4l-'- having one end attached to the periphery of the hub of said indicator wheel and its other end provided with a weight -44- capable of restoring the wheel to its starting position until limite-d by the engagement of the cooperative stops -45- and -45- on the wheel -40-, and frame -lrespectively. See Figures 3 and 6. v l

It is now evident that when :the shaft --36- is rotated by its driving shaft 3ldue to the impact of the ball -6- against the plunger -13-, the weighted cable lllwill be wound upon the Vhub of the wheel -40, which is of suiiicient circumferential length to rec-ord the yardage produced by themaximum force of `drive of the ball against the plunger -l3- during slightly less than one complete revolution of said wheel.

In other words the gear ratio between the drive shaft 3land driven shaft 36- for the indicator wheel is such `as to permit the driving shaft 13o-rotate a relatively large number of turns to effect a single revolution of the indicator wheel. i

It is desirableto provide means for positioning one or the other of the shoulders 2Q- on the disk -2l-- to bring such shoul- `der into position to be engaged by the pawl -23- when the plunger is restored to its normal up position.

To this end the shaft 20- is provided with diametrically opposite cam members n46- having their outer ends pointed and disposed in substantially the same plane as the shoulders -22-, as shown more clearly 1n Figures 4 and 9.

The shaft -20 is also provided with an eccentric Weight -47- projecting radially therefrom to one side thereof at an angle of about forty-live degrees to the plane of the shoulders --22- and cam members -46 as shown more clearly in Figure 4, so that when the disk 2lreaches the end of its rotation under its own momentum the weighted member -47- will automatically rotate the disk unt-il the shoulders -22- and cam points -46+ stand at an angle of substantially forty-five degrees to a horizontal plane through the axis of the shaft, thus bringing one of the cam points -46 below the horizontal plane of the shaft, or into the path of the front end of a forwardly and rearwardly movable slide rod -49-, shown more clearly in Figures 4 and 9.

This slide rod -49- is movable endwise in spaced bearing members -50- on the frame -10- transversely of, and in a. plane slightly below, the shaft ,20- and is nor- Y mally withdrawn rearwardly'out of the path of the rotating cam members -46- by means of a spring -5l-, Figures 4 and 9.

When the disk -21- and its supporting shaft -20- assume their :normal positions of rest through the action of the weight -47, one of the cam members -46- will be disposed in the path of movement of the front end of the slide rod -49- so that when the latter is moved forwardly, in a manner presently described, it will engage the. registering cam member -46- andthereby rock the shaft -20- a-nd its disk ---21-v in a counter clockwise direction, Figure 9, until the rearmost shoulder -22- is brought into position to be engaged by thel pawl w23- on the plunger 13- when the latter is released and restored to its vuppermost position.

The means for moving the slide rod -49- forwardly to effect the last-named Yoperation of the disk 2lcomprises a crank-arm -52- secured to a rock shaft -53- which is ournaled in suitable bearings'in the frame --l0- and has its upper end engaging in a slot -52- in the slide rod -749-, as shown in Figure 9. The shaft -53- extends lengthwise of the machine parallel with, and in a plane below, the shaft -20- and is provided at one end with an additional crankarm -54-- to which is connected the lower end of an upright rod -5'5- which extends upwardly through'a guide opening in the -top of the frame -l-land is provided at it-s upper end with a pedal -56- by which it may be depressed `from its normal up position to the Vposition shown by dotted lines in Figure 4 for rocking the shaft -53- and thereby causing the crank-arm -52- to move the slide rod -49- forwardly against the action of the spring -51-, as shown in Figures 2, 4, 8 and 9.

One end of the spring -51- is connected to one of the upright bracketsof the frame -10- and has its other end connected to a block -57 which is secured to the slide rod -49-, as shown more clearly in Figure 9, said block being guided on the frame l0- to hold the slide rod -49- against rotary movement, as shown in Figures, 2, 4, 8 and 9.

A suitable collar 5S- is secured tothe slide rod -49-to engage the front face of one of the uprights of the frame -10- for limiting the rearward movement of the slide rod from its forward position shown by full lines in Figure 9 to the position shown by ditted lines in the same figure. (See Fig. 4

This forward movement of the slide rod -49- is also utilized for releasing the locking pin 28 from vholding engagement with the plunger 13- to allow the latter to be restored to the uppermost position by its spring -l5-, and for this purpose the block --57- is provided with a cam plate 60- having its forward end pointed, as shown more clearly in Figure 7, and adapted to wedge against the'outer edge of the lower end of the lever Q5- for forcing the same inwardly against the action of the spring -27-, thereby forcing the upper end of the lever -25- outwardly to withdraw the locking pin -28- from engagement in the socket 29; in the plunger i3- and allow said plunger to be restored to its upward position by the spring -15 simultaneously with the, forward movement of the slide rod -49-.

is the plunger -l3 is moved upwardly its pawl -23- rides against the outer edge of the adjacent shoulder 22- of the disk -2l--, at which time the shoulder 2Q- will be in position to be engaged by the pawl as the latter is actuated to its holding position by the counterweight -24-, it being understood that the weight -47-'- on the shaft -20- will yieldingly hold the shoulder 22- in engagement with fthe' pawl -29-. See Figures 2, 4, 8 and 9.

The forward movement of the slide rod -49 is also utilized for releasing the holding pawl 3lfrom engagement with the rock shaft 8 carrying the pawl-supporting member -7- and for this purpose the rear end Vof the slide rod -49- is provided with a radially projecting arm *6l* carrying a cam plate -62- having its forward end tapered or pointed to pass between the lower face of the rock shaft -8- and holding pawl 3lto force the latter out of the socket --13- in the rock shaft -8-, as shown in Figures 9 and l0, and thus permit the ball-supporting member 7M with the ball thereon to be returned to its upward rearwardly inclined position against the limiting stop -1l-, as shown by full lines in Figures 2 and 9.

As shown more clearly in Figure 10, the arm 61- on the rear end of the slide rod -49- is provided with a forwardly projecting member -GB- adapted to engage a radial pin -64- on the rock shaft 8 immediately following the tripping of the pawl *3lfor positively restoring the rock shaft *8 and ball-supporting member -7 carried thereby to their normal starting positions with the ball-supporting member 7-g in an upwardly and rearwardly inclined position against its limiting stop -11-- thus completing the cycle of operation for one play. (See Figs. 4, 9 and 1l).

The construction shown in Figures 12 to 14: inclusive is quite similar to that set forth in Figures l to l1 inclusive, except that the worm wheel -35- driven by the shaft 20- is secured to a shaft -36- having a threaded extension or screw -65- upon which is mounted a collar `--66--.

This collar is slidable lengthwise over and upon the screw extension -65- and is provided with a pin 67d mounted upon a hand lever -69- which is pivoted at -68- to the collar 66- and is spring-pressed in one direction for yieldingly holding the pin m637-- in engagement with the threads of the extension -65 Figure 13.

The threaded extension -65- of the shaft -36- is enclosed in a suitable housing -70- having one end bolted or otherwise secured to the front upright wall of the main frame or housing to extend forwardly therefrom and its other end provided with a bearing -70"-- in which the adjacent end of the screw shaft -65- is journaled. This housing -70- is provided with a top plate -71- extending the entire length thereof and provided with a central lengthwise slot 72M through which the hand lever G9- extends so as to move lengthwise thereof as the collar -66- with the lever -69--- thereon is moved axially of the screw shaft G5- by the engagement of the pin -67- therewith as the shaft is rotated, it bein understood that the walls of the slot 2- cooperate with the lever -69- to hold the collar 66-q against relative turning rmovement upon the shaft -65-.

The hand lever --69 is returned rearwardly into close proximity to the upper face of the plate -71-'- to form a pointer -69- which is movable along suitable scales -73- on the upper face of the plate 71- `when the collar -66- i's actuated by theretation of the screw shaft 65.- These scales --73-' are arranged at opposite sides of the' slot T2- and indicate linear measurement, preferably in yards, representing the force of drive of the ball -6- from itsnormal position of rest, as shown in Figures 2, l and 9. `It is now evident that when theball 6 andits supporting member 7 is driven from its normal position, it will engage and depress the plunger -13 against the action of its retracting spring -15- until locked in its down position by the `pin -28-.

This operation of the plunger carrying the pawl -23- causes the rotation of the disk -21- and shaft 20- thereby rotating the screw shaft -65- through the medium of the worm and gear 34- and -85-.

This rotation of the shaft -65- causes the collar -66- to travel along said shaft a distance corresponding to the force with which the plunger -13- has been depressed by the impact of the ball -6- therewith, the distance being indicated on the scales ,-73- by the pointer -69-.

The screw shaft G5- and its housing -70- are shown as disposed in a substantially horizontal plane forwardly of the main frame -1-, -so that the scales -73- and pointer -69- are readily visible to the player while standing upon the main frame but obviously, may be placed at any suitable angle about the axis of the shaft -20- relatively to the main frame -1-,' without departing from the spirit of the invention.

When the screw shaft -65- has ceased its rotation under its own momentum produced by the impact of the ball against the plunger -13- resulting in a movement of the collar -66- and pointer -69- from its normal position adjacent the main frame, the hand lever G9- may be rocked downwardly about its pivot G8- to withdraw the pin -67- from engagement with the screw shaft -65-, thus permitting the collar -66 to be returned along the shaft to its starting position by means of the hand lever -69-.

The construction and operation of both forms of our invention, have now been clearly and fully described, Vbut obviously various changes may be made in the detail construction and operation, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What we claim is In a golf practise apparatus, a rocker-arm movable about a fixed axis to and from a. normal position of rest and provided with a ball adapted to be driven in one direction from its normal position by means of a golf club, a movable member in the path of the driven ball and actuated thereby, a rotary element, means for transmitting motion from said movable member to the rotary element to cause the latter to rotate and to continue its rotation under its own momentum, movable indicator, means for transmitting motion from the rotary element to the indicator, and relea'sable means for locking the rocker-arm in its driven position. Y Inwitnesswhereof we have hereunto set our hands this 25th day of Februar 1931. Y

Y WILLIS C. ONES.

JOHN C. PIMM. 

